ICAC UPDATE: "Put the bitch in my freezer"

By
By MICHELLE HARRIS Aug. 25, 2014, 12:59 p.m.

Aug. 25, 2014, midnight

A Buildev consultant who helped orchestrate an election-timed smear campaign against Jodi McKay said it was nothing personal against the then Newcastle MP, who she referred to as a "princess" and a "bitch" in text messages joking about putting a photo of Ms McKay in her freezer.

ICAC has heard Ann Wills texted Buildev director David Sharpe: "I am on my way home to put the bitch in my freezer", referring to Jodi McKay (pictured).

A Buildev consultant who helped orchestrate an election-timed smear campaign against Jodi McKay said it was nothing personal against the then Newcastle MP, who she referred to as a "princess" and a "bitch" in text messages joking about putting a photo of Ms McKay in her freezer.

Ann Wills gave her opinion of Ms McKay to the Independent Commission Against Corruption on Monday morning; "I didn't like her, I didn't dislike her".

But she and powerbroker Joe Tripodi, then a Labor backbencher, helped design the brochures, which Buildev paid for and which contained alarmist warnings about the truck movements from a container terminal proposal for Mayfield that Ms McKay supported over Nathan Tinkler's coal loader project planned for the same site.

The brochures were delivered to thousands of homes in inner city Newcastle just a few weeks out from the 2011 state election at which Ms McKay narrowly lost her seat to Liberal Tim Owen.

Ms Wills has admitted her role in the brochures and told the inquiry on Monday she was aware Mr Tripodi was interested in securing work with Buildev after he left State Parliament, although he never directly told her that was the reason he was helping Buildev.

Ms Wills was accused of feeding "propaganda" about the coal loader project to the media.

But when the Newcastle Herald reported in mid March 2011 matters including Ms McKay's concern that Ms Wills working with Buildev, Ms Wills texted Buildev director David Sharpe: "I am on my way home to put the bitch in my freezer".

"That was a joke," Ms Wills told the inquiry.

She said she got the idea of putting someone's photo in the freezer from articles she'd read about former federal MP Belinda Neal, who was famously ordered by then prime minister Kevin Rudd to undertake anger management counselling.

The inquiry was also told Mr Tripodi had recommended his "mate", Sydney based printer Vince Fedele, when Ms Wills asked if he knew a printer who could turn around a job quickly.

Ms Wills admitted a Sydney printer was used rather than a local one to keep Buildev's involvement in the brochures a secret: "because Newcastle is a small town", she said.